Incheon International Airport
Location of airport in South Korea | type = Public | owner = Government of South Korea | operator = Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) | city-served = Seoul | location = Incheon, South Korea | hub = *Asiana Airlines *Korean Air *Polar Air Cargo | elevation-f = 23 | elevation-m = 7 | coordinates = | website = http://www.airport.kr/eng/ | metric-elev = | metric-rwy = | r1-number = 15R/33L | r1-length-f = 12,303 | r1-length-m = 3,750 | r1-surface = Asphalt | r2-number = 15L/33R | r2-length-f = 12,303 | r2-length-m = 3,750 | r2-surface = Asphalt | r3-number = 16/34 | r3-length-f = 13,123 | r3-length-m = 4,000 | r3-surface = Asphalt | h1-number = H1 | h1-length-f = 63 | h1-length-m = 19 | h1-surface = Concrete | stat-year = 2009 | stat1-header = Aircraft movements | stat1-data = 211,404 | stat2-header = Passengers | stat2-data = 30,000,000 | stat3-header = Tonnes of cargo | stat3-data = 4,500,000 | footnotes = Statistics from IIACAirport traffic record }} Incheon International Airport (IIA) ( ) is the largest airport in South Korea, the primary airport serving the Seoul national capital area, and one of the largest and busiest in the world. Since 2005, it has been consecutively rated as the best airport in the world by the Airports Council International Airports Council International. Aci.aero. Retrieved on 2010-11-28. and received the full 5-star ranking by Skytrax, a recognition shared only by Hong Kong International Airport and Singapore Changi Airport.The World's official 5-Star Airports – SKYTRAX. Airlinequality.com. Retrieved on 2010-11-28. Located west of Seoul, the capital and largest city of South Korea, Incheon International Airport is the main hub for Korean Air, Asiana Airlines and Polar Air Cargo. The airport serves as a hub for international civilian air transportation and cargo traffic in East Asia. Incheon International Airport is also currently Asia's eighth busiest airport in terms of passengers, the world's fourth busiest airport in terms of cargo and freight, and the world's eleventh busiest airport in terms of international passengers in 2006.Supply Chain Leaders – Incheon International Airport Corporation The airport opened for business in early 2001, replacing the older Gimpo International Airport, which now serves only domestic destinations plus shuttle flights to Tokyo (Haneda), Shanghai (Hongqiao) and Osaka (Kansai). The airport has a golf course, spa, private sleeping rooms, a casino, indoor gardens and a Museum of Korean Culture. Overview Incheon International Airport is located west of Incheon, on Yeongjong-Yongyu Island on the west coast. In the past, there were two separate islands of Yeongjong and Yongyu but the distance between them that were once covered by the sea was filled to form one island from two. Both of these islands were part of the city of Incheon. It is connected to the mainland by Incheon International Airport Expressway (Expressway 130), a part of which is Yeongjong Bridge. The expressway also connects Gimpo International Airport to provide connections between domestic flight service with international air traffic, an advantage that makes it much easier to travel from southern Korean regions to Incheon, and then to airports all over the globe. The airport is served by frequent bus service from all parts of South Korea as well as by traditional ferry service between Yeongjong pier and Incheon. Airport limousines operate around the clock from Seoul to Incheon, and several backup highway buses escort people from places within and outside Seoul. The Incheon International Airport Railroad link to Gimpo International Airport (and Seoul Subway Line 5, Line 9) opened on 23 March 2007, with a further extension to Seoul Station due for completion in 2010. The airport was awarded the Best in Service Award in Class at the 1st International Conference on Airport Quality and Service by the IATA and the Airports Council International (ACI), and ranked second in Best Airport Worldwide, behind Hong Kong International Airport, and ahead of Singapore Changi Airport. It was also ranked No. in the world by the (ACI).Incheon airport serving Seoul wins top honor for service – International Herald Tribune Seoul Incheon International Airport's terminal has 74 boarding gates altogether, with 44 in the main passenger building and 30 in Concourse A. History and Yongyu Islands]] After the Seoul Olympics of 1988, international air traffic to Korea increased at a tremendous rate. Especially as time progressed into the 1990s, it became apparent that Gimpo International Airport could not keep up with the increase in air traffic. As such, in order to reduce the load on Gimpo International Airport, and establish a new airport which could become the centre of air traffic in the region, construction of the airport began in November 1992. The airport was constructed on reclaimed land between Yeongjong Island and Youngyu Island. It took eight years to construct the airport, and an additional six months to test operate. The airport was officially opened in March 2001. When the airport was first opened, there were numerous problems, most of them having to do with the baggage handling systems. In fact, the problem was first discovered during the test phase, but was never worked out in time. As a result, for a month after the airport opened, the system had to be operated on a semi-automatic mode. Nevertheless, most of the problems were worked out within a month, and the airport continued to operate normally. After the September 11, 2001 attacks, the airport’s security system was upgraded to state of the art systems, and medical inspection equipment was also upgraded in response to the various epidemics occurring in neighboring countries. Owing to the positive response towards the airport, its air traffic increased tremendously. By early 2002, it became apparent that the airport would be saturated by 2006. As a result, in February 2002, the construction of the second phase was initiated. Originally, the construction was supposed to have ended by December 2008. However, due to the Beijing Olympics in 2008, the construction schedule was modified to allow the construction to end by July 2008. On 15 November 2006, the Airbus A380 landed at the airport as part of the first leg of its certification trip. During the visit, the airport observed the operation of other air traffic especially during ground operations. The plane was docked into one of its boarding gates to ensure that the aircraft was fully compatible with the airport. The results were satisfactory, confirming that the airport would be fully Airbus A380 capable, from the runways to the taxiways, and up to every single boarding dock. To further upgrade service, Incheon and major Korean logistics firm Hanjin Corporation (parent company of the Korean Flag Carrier, Korean Air) have signed a contract on 10 January 2008 to build a nine-story hospital near the airport. Once construction is complete in 2011, the Yeongjong Medical Centre is expected to serve nearby residents and 30,000 domestic and international tourists who visit Korea every year to receive medical services.http://www.kois.go.kr/News/News/NewsView.asp?serial_no=20080111012 Timeline * February 1992: Master plan approved * November 1992: Phase I construction and site preparation initiated * July 1994: North and south dikes completed * March 1996: Formally named Incheon International Airport * May 1996: Passenger terminal construction Initiated * December 1996: Runway construction initiated * 30 June 2000: Construction of basic components completed * July 2000: Test operations begin * November 2000: Opening date announced * 29 March 2001: Airport officially opened * February 2002: Phase II construction started * November 2002: New passenger airline parking stands constructed (Phase 2) * October 2003: Construction of new cargo terminal initiated (Phase 2) * November 2003: Intra Airport Transit (IAT) system construction initiated (Phase 2) * December 2003: Third runway construction initiated (Phase 2) * June 2004: Passenger concourse construction initiated (Phase 2) * April 2005: Final construction of passenger concourse (Phase 2) * March 2007: Airport railroad started operation * June 2008: Phase II construction completed Construction stages The airport was originally planned to be built in three phases, incrementally increasing airport capacity as the demand grew. This was changed, however, to four phases after the airport was opened. Phase 1 In Phase 1, the airport had a capacity of 30 million passengers per year, and a cargo capacity of 1.7 million metric tonnes yearly. In this phase, a passenger terminal with a floor space of , two parallel runways, a control tower, an administrative building, a transportation centre (the Integrated Transportation Centre, designed by Terry Farrell & Partners), and integrated operations centre, three cargo terminals, international business centre, and a government office building were constructed. Phase 2 Phase 2 construction began in 2002 and was originally expected to be completed in December 2008. However, in an attempt to have the airport ready for the 2008 Beijing Olympics which took place in August 2008, the schedule was modified and Phase 2 construction was completed on 20 June 2008. During this construction phase, a third parallel -long runway and a 13-hectare cargo terminal area were added. A 16.5 hectare concourse connected to the main passenger building via two parallel long underground passageways was added, with a "Shuttle train" Mitsubishi Crystal Mover APM shuttling passengers between the concourse and the main terminal.Incheon Airport to Open New Concourse. Koreatimes.co.kr (2008-05-29). Retrieved on 2010-11-28. With the completion, the airport has an annual capacity of 410,000 flights, 44,000,000 passengers, and nearly 4,500,000 metric tonnes of cargo. In what some travelers have seen as an example of discrimination against foreigners , all foreign airlines were shifted to the less convenient new concourse, with Korean and Asiana continuing to use the existing terminal. In addition, there were numerous equipment upgrades during the phase, including the newer and better ASDE-X with MRI (Multi Radar Tracking) function, and the ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) system with the RIMCAS (Runway Incursion Monitoring and Conflict Alert System) function. The installation of four additional sets of ASDE-X antennas is planned to reduce blind spots during heavy rainfall and in preparation for the new runway. Phase 3 Plans to invest ₩4 trillion by 2015 to expand Incheon International Airport. The South Korean government plans to add a second passenger terminal in the northern field of the airport and expand its existing cargo terminal and other infrastructure. The terminals will be connected with each other by the underground "Starline" train, which currently links the first terminal and the concourse. Upon completion, Incheon International Airport will be able to handle 62 million passengers and 5.8 million tonnes of cargo a year, up from the current capacity of 44 million passengers and 4.5 million tonnes. Construction will begin in 2011 with completion targeted for 2015. Plans for Incheon's expansion also include adding more aprons to park planes and extending a railway line to the city centre of Seoul about 70 kilometres away from the airport. Phase 4 Estimated to be completed in 2020 this is the final and the ultimate construction stage. Upon completion, the airport will have two passenger terminals, four satellite concourses, 128 gates, and four parallel runways. It will be able to handle 100 million passengers and 7 million metric tonnes of cargo annually, with further possible expansions. The airport is projected to be transformed into one of the top ten busiest in the world by 2020. Operation facilities and infrastructure Control tower Located at the center of the airport, the 22 story Control Tower is 100.4 meters tall and is illuminated 24 hours a day. On its highest floor is located a parabolic antenna that is used by the Airport Surface Detection Equipment (ASDE) to detect all airplanes and obstacles within 5 km of the tower. The upper floors are used by ground and tower controllers while the lower floors are mostly for support operations. The control tower has a total area of 179 square meters making it the 3rd largest in the world as of 2001. at Incheon]] Runways There are three parallel paved asphalt runways in operation, 15R/33L, 15L/33R and 16/34. Runway 15R/33L and 15L/33R are each 3,750 meters long, 60 meters wide, and 1.05 meters thick. Runway 16/34 is 4000 meters long. Runway 15R/33L is used mostly for departures while runway 15L/33R is used mostly for arrivals. This is evident from the amount of rubber present on each runway; runway 15L/33R has more rubber on it due to the higher number of landings. A third parallel 16L/34R runway 4,000 meters long began operation in June 2008. Landing and takeoffs of most passenger flights are done on the new runway and the existing runway 15R/33L while runway 15L/33R is mostly used for cargo flights for its proximity with the cargo terminals. Although the runways are labelled 33 and 34, all three runways have the same heading. Once Phase 4 construction is complete, the airport will have 4 parallel runways, two of them 3,750 meters long and the other two 4,000 meters long. All runways are equipped with ILS CAT IIIb at both sides allowing for operation in visibility conditions as low as 50 meters. As of the date of upgrade, Incheon International Airport was the only airport in Asia to have full ILS CAT IIIb capability. The runway lightings at Incheon International Airport (as well as the taxi lights) are tied into special computers at the control tower. Air Traffic Controllers can provide progressive taxiing to an aircraft by setting the computer to manipulate the taxi and runway lights so that it will lead them to their designated gate or parking stand. Terminals, airlines and destinations Main Terminal File:Incheon Arrivals.jpg|Arrivals File:ICN arrivals.png|Arrivals File:incheonarrv.jpg|Airside File:Incheon Terminal.jpg|Gate Area The main passenger terminal (measuring 496,000 square metres) is the largest airport terminal in area in South Korea, and the ninth largest passenger terminal in the world, after Dubai International Airport's Terminal 3, Beijing Capital International Airport's Terminal 3, Hong Kong International Airport's Terminal 1, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport's passenger terminal, Mexico City International Airport Terminal 1, Barcelona Airport Terminal 1, and Dubai International Airport Terminal 1 and Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal 3. The passenger terminal was designed by Curtis W. Fentress, FAIA, RIBA of Fentress Architects. It is 1060 metres long, 149 meters wide, and 33 metres high. Its construction cost was 1.3816 trillion South Korean Won. The terminal has 44 boarding ports (all of which can accommodate the new Airbus 380), 50 customs inspection ports, 2 biological quarantine counters, 6 stationary and 14 portable passenger quarantine counters, 120 arrival passport inspection counters, 8 arrival security ports, 28 departure security ports, 252 check in counters, and 120 departure passport inspection counters. Airlines and destinations There are currently over 70 airlines serving ICN. The largest carrier in terms of passenger numbers is Korean Air, followed by Asiana Airlines. Although all domestic flights depart from the main terminal, international gates are separated from the domestic gates. Note: Though non-Korean (foreign) carriers started operating from concourse A on June 10, 2008, all check-in and immigration procedures still take place in main passenger terminal. Incheon has more Chinese destinations than Hong Kong International Airport and has more Japanese destinations than Narita International Airport.Simms, James. "Japanese Travelers' Seoul Train." The Wall Street Journal. January 18, 2010. Retrieved on January 19, 2010. , Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City | A | Vladivostok Air | Khabarovsk, Vladivostok | A | Xiamen Airlines | Xiamen | A | Zest Airways | Cebu, Kalibo | A Concourse A The passenger concourse A was completed at the end of May 2008 and all foreign airlines use this terminal since 10 June 2008. It is connected to the Main Terminal by two parallel long underground passageways equipped with IATs (Intra Airport Transit). It has 30 gates and five lounges (two of Asiana/Star Alliance, two of Korean Air/SkyTeam, one of Cathay Pacific/Oneworld). Airlines and destinations There are currently over 70 airlines serving ICN. The largest carrier in terms of passenger numbers is Korean Air, followed by Asiana Airlines. Although all domestic flights depart from the main terminal, international gates are separated from the domestic gates. Note: Though non-Korean (foreign) carriers started operating from concourse A on June 10, 2008, all check-in and immigration procedures still take place in main passenger terminal. Incheon has more Chinese destinations than Hong Kong International Airport and has more Japanese destinations than Narita International Airport.Simms, James. "Japanese Travelers' Seoul Train." The Wall Street Journal. January 18, 2010. Retrieved on January 19, 2010. , Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City | A | Vladivostok Air | Khabarovsk, Vladivostok | A | Xiamen Airlines | Xiamen | A | Zest Airways | Cebu, Kalibo | A }} Cargo Terminal Complex planes awaiting departure]] flight taxiing out at Incheon Airport]] The Cargo Terminal Complex comprises six cargo terminals, five separate warehouses, All E/F Class 36 parking stands, and administration offices. Each cargo terminal is designed to provide each carrier with unique services, and a cargo warehouse – approximately . They are separated into three areas, import, passing and export. The logical manner in which the terminals were designed allow for a highly efficient operation. The cargo terminals also comes with an advanced computer system that helps track each cargo in real time. Using the systems, managers can view individual package information, tracking information, storage information, etc. in real time. The terminals also feature various other high-tech technologies. The Cargo Terminal Complex was designed to be able to process 1.7 million tons of cargo per year. However, due to the increased demands, the operators of Cargo A Terminal and Cargo B Terminal has opted to expand their facilities onto the land that is available nearby. As a result, the total processing ability of the complex is currently rated at 3.8 million tons per year. The C Terminal, was not able to expand however, due to the lack of direct airside access. Once Phase II expansion is complete, the airport will have a processing ability of around 4.9 million metric tons per year. This is because the expansion which was originally designed to allow an expansion to 4.5 million tons per year would be adding on top of the current processing ability, which includes the expansions by Korean Air Cargo and Asiana Cargo which was conducted separately on a piece of land that did not conflict with the airport expansion plans. The Cargo Terminal Complex operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, nonstop. In addition, the automation systems had been upgraded. As a result, it is typical for the airport to output an extra 2 million tons per year processing capability than the original design. A Terminal This Cargo Terminal is operated by Korean Air Cargo. It is the largest cargo terminal by both size and capacity. It has a special ability to be able to process special types of cargo such as those requiring refrigeration, or those carrying live animals. This facility has been expanded once on March 2 of 2005 to allow a total processing capability of 1.35 million tons per year. The terminal has an area of 60,000 square meters. B Terminal This Cargo Terminal is operated by Asiana Cargo. Although its capacity was to be expanded to 800,000 tons per year, the diminished demand for cargo transportation on Asiana originating from a pilot strike in 2005 has caused the plans to be modified. Currently, the terminals are capable of processing 750,000 tons per year. The terminal has an area of 40,000 square meters. C Terminal This Cargo Terminal is operated by the Incheon International Airport Foreign Carrier Cargo Terminal Company. Its users include FedEx, UPS, as well as other airlines. Due to its location, it could not expand its facilities as with the other terminals without conflicting with the existing plans for airport expansion. As a result, the IIAC is currently constructing a new terminal that would by operated by the IIAC Foreign Carrier Cargo Terminal Co. Once this new terminal is constructed, FedEx and UPS are expected to move into the new terminal while other cargo operators are expected to use the existing terminal. The terminal is 420 meters long, 120 meters wide, and 19.65 meters tall. Its first floor (warehouse) has a total area of 54,203.32 square meters, and other floors occupy 12,708.88 square meters. Its current total processing capability is 600,000 metrics tons per year. 51 different cargo companies use this complex. AACT Terminal This Cargo Terminal is operated by the Joint Company named AACT. Atlas Air Cargo and Sharp has share. Its users include Polar Air Cargo, Qantas Freight, Finnair Cargo as well as other airlines. DHL Incheon Gateway DHL Express owns and operates this gateway facility for Korea, Japan and Far East Russia. This Cargo Terminal is four stories tall with state of the art facilities. Cargo airlines Awards, certifications, and ratings Incheon International airport has won numerous awards since its opening, including" * In 1998, received ISO certifications in airport construction and airport services. * From 2002, won for three consecutive years, the Best Airport Award according to IATA and ACI. * In 2002, was rated second in the Best Airport Worldwide category according to IATA and ACI. * Incheon International Airport Corporation became the first in the world to receive ISO certification in airport services. * In 2005, won the Best Airport Worldwide 2005 award from AETRA Service Monitoring which was jointly conducted by IATA and ACI. * In 2006, received the ATRS' Top Asia-Pacific Efficiency Award after achieving a residual variable factor productivity efficiency value that was 57% higher than the average of those in the region. * In 2006, was awarded as the world's best airport based on a passenger survey conducted by the IATA. * Was named Best Airport Worldwide at the first Airport Service Quality Awardshttp://airportservicequality.ch/news * Received an ISO certification in the environmental category. * Was awarded the "Best in Service Award in Class" at the 1st International Conference on Airport Quality and Service by the IATA and the ACI. * The airport ranked second in "Best Airport Worldwide", behind Hong Kong International Airport, and tied with Singapore Changi Airport. * Won the GT Tested Award for Best Airport in the World in January 2007. * Named by Global Traveler (GT) as the Best Airport in the World for the second straight year in January 2008. * Has been named World's Best Airport for 2009, in the World Airport Survey results published by Skytrax. * In 2010 it was ranked the second-best airport in the world by Skytrax, behind Singapore Changi Airport, based on a customer satisfaction survey.Singapore Changi Airport named World's Best Airport 2010. Worldairportawards.com (2010-03-23). Retrieved on 2010-11-28. Accidents and incidents No serious or fatal accidents or incidents have been recorded to date at the airport. Accidents and incidents involving the airport * On 11 September 2001, Korean Air Flight 85, bound for John F. Kennedy International Airport was diverted and escorted by military fighter jets to Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport after a transponder malfunctioned and caused ground facilities to think that the aircraft had been hijacked. Although the plane was low on fuel, the plane had not been hijacked. The diversion occurred during Operation Yellow Ribbon as part of the Canadian response to the September 11 Attacks in New York City, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania. * On 17 December 2005 a GE90-94B engine failed on an Air France Boeing 777 flying from Incheon International Airport to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport resulting in an unscheduled landing in Irkutsk, Siberia, Russia. Ground transportation in Seoul.|A limousine bus departing from Incheon Airport bus station to Jamsil subway station in Seoul]] Rail The Incheon International Airport Railroad (A'REX), was brought into service on 23 March 2007. The station is located in the Transportation Center adjacent to the main terminal building. The A'REX trains can speed up to 120 km/h, almost two times faster than a normal subway train and cutting the travel time to Gimpo Airport to approximately 30 minutes. As of 2007, only the first phase of the construction was opened to the public (Incheon International Airport – Gimpo Airport). The remaining phase of the construction will open December 29, 2010. Commuter train stations * Incheon International Airport * Incheon International Airport Cargo Terminal (3min) * Unseo (7 min) * Geomam (21 min) * Gyeyang (26.5 min, transfer to Incheon Subway Line 1) * Gimpo Airport (33 min, transfer to Seoul Subway Line 5, Seoul Subway Line 9) Express train stations * Incheon International Airport * Gimpo Airport (28 min, transfer to Seoul Subway Line 5, Seoul Subway Line 9) Maglev A maglev link is under construction. Car The airport provides a short term parking lot for 4000 cars and a long term parking lot for 6000 cars. Shuttle services connect the long term parking lot to the passenger terminal and the cargo terminal. Car rental is located near the long term parking lot. Link to the main land is provided by the toll Yeongjong Bridge and an expressway. A second expressway on the Incheon Bridge connects the island with central Incheon. Taxi Taxis have two distinct colors: white (silver) and black. "Normal taxis" (일반 택시) are colored in white with either a blue or green cap on the top of the car. "Deluxe taxis" (모범 택시; mobeom taeksi) are black in color with gold accent/stripes and are more expensive than regular taxis. Ferry A ferry service connects Yeongjong-do to the mainland. However, the dock is located at considerable distance from the airport and an alternative means of transport must be sought upon arriving at the island to be able to get to the airport. See also * Transportation in South Korea * List of Korea-related topics * List of airports in South Korea * Busiest airports in South Korea by passenger traffic * Incheon International Airport Railroad * Gimpo International Airport – former International Airport now used mostly for domestic flights * World's Busiest Airports by Cargo Traffic – 4th Place * World's Busiest Airports by International Passenger Traffic – 10th Place References External links * Incheon International Airport – Official Site * Incheon International Airport Foreign Carrier Cargo Terminal * Official Site of Korea Tourism Org.: Incheon * Korea City Air Terminal * Korea Airport Service * * New Airport Highway Co. – Incheon International Airport Expressway * Incheon International Airport Railroad (A'REX) ar:مطار إنشيون الدولي da:Incheon International Airport de:Flughafen Incheon es:Aeropuerto Internacional de Incheon fr:Aéroport international d'Incheon ko:인천국제공항 io:Incheon Internaciona Aeroportuo id:Bandar Udara Internasional Incheon it:Aeroporto Internazionale di Seul-Incheon ms:Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Incheon my:အင်ချွန် အပြည်ပြည်ဆိုင်ရာ လေဆိပ် nl:Incheon International Airport ja:仁川国際空港 no:Incheon internasjonale lufthavn pl:Port lotniczy Seul-Inczhon pt:Aeroporto Internacional de Incheon ru:Инчхон (аэропорт) simple:Incheon International Airport su:Bandara Internasional Incheon fi:Incheonin kansainvälinen lentoasema sv:Incheon International Airport th:ท่าอากาศยานนานาชาติอินชอน vi:Sân bay quốc tế Incheon zh-classical:仁川國際機場 wuu:仁川国际机场 zh:仁川國際機場 Category:Airports in South Korea Category:Buildings and structures in Incheon Category:Transport in Seoul Category:airports